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I just want to thank the cabinet secretary for her answer. When I talk to certain equality and zero tolerance groups, it comes up a lot that there needs to be a wider approach, particularly in the early years, to change the culture of toxic masculinity and misogyny.

It comes back to education, which Rebecca Crowther touched on. Outreach and partnership work might be needed with organisations that fear the consequences of a ban. Some organisations might have misconceptions about the implications of a ban for their freedom of speech. The issue is about striking the right balance and getting the point across that there is also a freedom of choice angle. Are we considering the international perspective and looking at what has stalled work on bans, so that we in Scotland can learn from that?

It is a privilege to speak to the motion tonight. I echo the sentiments of Maree Todd, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport, when she said that

“the Scottish athletes ... brought back a staggering amount of medals”

from Tokyo as part of ParalympicsGB. She also spoke of our pride in our athletes, and her hope that they would inspire others to take part in sport and perhaps to participate in future games. Everyone can share those sentiments, and I add my voice in congratulating all those who took part and supported the athletes in reaching their full potential: their coaches, clubs, families and others. A collective effort such as that creates a platform for Paralympians to excel not despite their disability, but because of their ability.

The 33 Scots in the ParalympicsGB team brought home 21 medals, which is an amazing hit rate. There were two gold, nine silver and 10 bronze medals, and the athletes all deserve recognition. As the MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, I highlight three individuals from the north-east in particular. The cyclist Neil Fachie is one of our most celebrated Paralympians—indeed, he is one of our most decorated athletes in general. He has an astonishing number of medals from the Paralympics, the track cycling world championships and the Commonwealth games, and in Tokyo, he claimed another gold.

The swimmer Toni Shaw has been massively successful recently, during the European and world para athletics championships, and he came home from Tokyo with a bronze medal. A third athlete from the north-east is the swimmer Conner Morrison, from Turriff. He started out with the Garioch Gators in Inverurie and progressed to the University of Aberdeen performance programme. He has been a medal winner at the world para swimming championships and the European para athletics championships, and also domestically. When he was interviewed before the Paralympic games, he was realistic about his medal hopes—he said that he was going to Tokyo

“for the experience and to put the best version of”

himself

“out there”.

He qualified from the heat to reach the final of the S14 100m breaststroke. There was no medal for him this time, but the motion refers to the “positive impact” of the “inspiring endeavours” of Conner and his fellow athletes on the people in Banffshire and Buchan Coast, around the rest of Scotland and beyond. From Turriff to Tokyo is a story with all that positive impact and inspiration, and the same goes for every other athlete at the games. It is not just about the medals.

I am sorry to strike a sombre note now, but I have to be clear that when it comes to disabled people and sport, there are challenges too. It would be remiss of me not to mention the challenges that are faced by the deaf community when it comes to participation. Although deaf people are unable to take part in the Paralympics unless they have another disability, they still face disadvantages in participating in sports. I hope that, as the child of a deaf adult, or a CODA, I can use my platform to highlight those issues during my time in Parliament.

Just last month, the University of the West of Scotland and the Observatory for Sport in Scotland published a research paper by two professors, Richard Davison and Gayle McPherson, who revealed—shockingly—that only 12 per cent of disabled children in Scotland had taken part in sport during the relevant research period, as opposed to 81 per cent of non-disabled children. The gap closes to some degree in adulthood, but not nearly enough.

Meanwhile the gap for disabled adults who are living in poverty is stark. Last year, Professor Tess Kay of the University of Stirling published a research review entitled “Sport and social inequality”, which showed that low family income and poverty was the main driver in whether people of all ages participated in sport. Sadly, it has long been recognised that a household with a disabled person is much more likely to be a household in poverty. Members do not have to take my word for it—they can ask charities such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Disability Rights UK and others.

The implications for participation in sport are clear, and there is a bigger point to make. Life for disabled people in Scotland, whether their impairment is intellectual or physical, should be the same as life for everyone in Scotland: accessible, equal and inclusive. However, we still have some way to go.

The Scottish Government is taking positive action on disability, and on sport and active living more generally. I will not read out the relevant pages of the programme for government, which will come as a relief to some, but I note that the Scotland-wide launch of the child disability payment and the adult disability payment, administered by Social Security Scotland, should make a significant difference for disabled people.

The Scottish Government will double investment in sport and active living to £100 million a year by the end of the current session of Parliament, which is excellent news. The more we level the playing field, the more disabled people will have the chance to take part in sport at a grass-roots level. As numbers rise, more talent will be identified. Not everyone will get a chance to go to the Paralympics, but taking part in sport is good in itself for fitness, self-esteem, social connections and much more. Whether we are disabled or not, and whether we are focused on gold at the Paralympics or just having a more active life, we can all be inspired by the example that has been set by Conner Morrison of Turriff and all the other Paralympians. Whether they are medal winners or not, they are an inspiration for us to put the best version of ourselves out there.

It is important that we recognise the achievements of those Paralympians and that we celebrate with them, while not forgetting to ensure that everyone in society has an opportunity to fulfil their full potential. We need adequate support—we all need support at some point in our life, at various levels and to varying degrees.

If we can ensure a society where equalities are at the heart of everything that we do, then we can create a society where thriving is possible, where celebrating each other and our achievements contributes to a health and wellbeing economy, and where purpose and joy in life prevails. I doubt that anyone could argue with that vision: inclusion and equalities always, and supporting each other to put the best version of ourselves out there.

I recently met Equate Scotland and discussed the importance of putting an equalities lens on the just transition for workers. What steps is the Scottish Government taking to ensure that there is equity for women in the just transition for workers, in particular as they have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic?

As you are aware, the fishing industry has had quite a hard time of late, especially because of the double whammy of Covid and Brexit. Naturally, its people are concerned for their future. With that feeling of vulnerability, they are quite sceptical about the co-operation agreement with the Scottish Green Party. Will you say something to alleviate their fears? In particular, can you tell us a bit more about how the distribution of quota and tackling of discards and by-catch are being worked on within the future fisheries management strategy?

Thank you. You touched on enticing new entrants into the industry. I know that there has been fantastic work in and around women in agriculture. Is there any scope to look at a programme for women in aquaculture and fisheries?

How do the cabinet secretaries and ministers work together on food and drink, and possibly have a helicopter oversight approach to it, from production to plate? At the moment, people are struggling and there is food poverty. How do the portfolios interlink with one another, especially in relation to food waste?

I will follow on from what Fulton asked about, so he might have to come back on this answer, as well. Domestic violence survivors and coercive control survivors feel that they do not have much confidence in the civil justice system when it comes to family law, and perpetrators might know how to use and work the system, as well. Has any feedback come back on that issue? You kind of answered that in the last question, but I want to highlight the point.

In addition, adverse childhood experience groups and child development experts have highlighted the importance of, and the need for, trauma-informed services to limit damage as much as possible when families and young people, in particular, go through the civil justice system, so that people feel safe and confident in it. What will statutory regulation do in those regards?

I want to squeeze in a final question. In asking about education earlier, I was thinking more of the school system. Does that have a role to play in this and in moving us away from a culture in which the default setting is cishet? Will you be linking with, for example, the time for inclusive education—or TIE—campaign, which I know has been very successful?

Good morning. It is nice to see the both of you here. I, too, declare that I signed the pledge. I want to thank Blair Anderson in particular for bringing his lived experience to the committee. It is crucial that we hear from you today.

You just touched on the legislative approaches that the UK and Scottish Governments are taking. Basically, that is about devolved and reserved powers. What can we in Scotland do within our devolved powers? Is there anything further that could be done in, say, education or health that a ban would not cover?